


i'm alright with a slow burn (taking my time, let the world turn)

by lgbtqshipper



Category: Stargirl (TV 2020)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Ficlet, Fluff, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:35:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29114625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lgbtqshipper/pseuds/lgbtqshipper
Summary: (He's not so sure that's a bad thing. Rick trusts Beth, after all. It's as simple and as complicated as that.)ORJSA bonding night turned Rick and Beth TV watching date.
Relationships: Beth Chapel/Rick Tyler
Comments: 9
Kudos: 15





	i'm alright with a slow burn (taking my time, let the world turn)

**Author's Note:**

> uhhhh i wrote this all last night in a burst of inspiration and this is the first fic of any length i've finished since august so 🤪 enjoy
> 
> the title is from "slow burn" by kacey musgraves and the whole fic is kinda inspired by it ngl, i've been rewatching teenage bounty hunters and was inspired ig 😌

Rick leans back into the couch, tugging Beth closer to his chest and planting a kiss distractedly to the top of her head while his eyes remain fixed on the screen. The main character is in the middle of a big fight with the love interest, and Rick has regrettably been drawn very much into the story. This JSA bonding night and the TV show they'd been bingeing for hours was Courtney's idea in the first place ( _"It'll be just a fun night away from all the drama! No school, no villains, just us hanging out! Pat and Mike are having their own father-son bonding and my mom's going to be out of town anyway, it's the perfect opportunity."_ ), but she had long since gotten distracted by her own girlfriend. Every so often, Rick hears their giggling filtering in from the kitchen, where he thinks they’re baking something, but for the most part he's tuned them out.

Beth gasps suddenly, and Rick is drawn out of his reverie to focus back on the screen only to see the main character FINALLY kissing their love interest, fierce and uninhibited. A smile actually graces his face at the sight, which only grows when Beth slowly moves to intertwine her fingers with his.

"You're not subtle, babe," he teases his girlfriend quietly, feeling her shiver at the sensation of his warm breath on her ear.

"Yeah, well, it's only natural," she defends herself at the same volume. "I mean, they're really getting into it"--Rick glances back at the TV and, sure enough, they're still making out--"and we have the room to ourselves…" Rick’s lips curl up at her suggestive tone, and he decides to draw it out just a little bit longer.

"I don't know, this show is pretty interesting," he replies as seriously as he can, feigning disinterest in her proposal. At this, Beth sits forward, and at first Rick is concerned she's going to put some distance between them to call his bluff, but all she does is fumble for the remote sitting on the coffee table. She hits pause and then tosses the remote to the ground carelessly, turning in place to grin triumphantly at Rick. His heart stutters a little in his chest at the determined look on her face, and he struggles to keep his indifferent facade up.

"Why'd you stop it? I was watching that," he tells her, managing to keep a straight face all the way up until she glares up at him, upon which he breaks. Beth rolls her eyes and glances away pointedly, but as his laughter dies down he pulls her back against him and smiles easily at her, feeling the kind of contentment he has only ever experienced in her presence.

"Hi," Rick speaks softly, everything else forgotten as he looks down at her.

"I thought you wanted to watch the show," Beth huffs while she stares down at where she's distractedly playing with her hands on her lap, but he sees her lips curve up in spite of herself.

"I'll admit, it was compelling, but nothing can compete with you," he insists, genuine and open. Rick's hands find her face and he tilts her chin up so she can look at him and see that he means it--that she well and truly captivates him, that his attention could never fully belong to anyone or anything else as long as she's present, that his eyes are drawn to her subconsciously like a moth to a flame. And with her, he melts, reforms into something new, something kinder with less hard edges made to keep the world at bay.

(He's not so sure that's a bad thing. Rick trusts Beth, after all. It's as simple and as complicated as that.)

Beth's eyes soften and she leans into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and winding her fingers into his hair. 

"Good to know the feeling is mutual, then," she murmurs sweetly, her face mere inches away from his. Her eyelids flutter closed and it's Rick who's closing the distance, who's capturing her lips with his and tugging her as close as he can until there's no distance between them at all. He loves this more than anything: to need someone so much you can't bear to not have all of them, but to take your time anyway. To let it build to something even better, knowing that they aren't going anywhere soon.

(And Beth lets him.  _ It's far more intoxicating, _ he thinks,  _ to know that she trusts me too. _ )

**Author's Note:**

> here's my [tumblr](https://cindyburman.tumblr.com) if you wanna check me out!! comments are always appreciated if you have the time to leave them!!! :)


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